Dark Horse
by LoveSomebody
Summary: All her life Emma has built up walls around her but once Hook showed up, her walls started to break off piece by piece. Can Emma be the one to knock out the rest or is she just going to build up more? (RATED M FOR LATER CHAPTERS)
1. Chapter One : Choices : EMMA

Dark Horse: Chapter One: Home:

_EMMA_

The air went through her hair as they sailed toward the Storybrooke dock where everyone stood waiting patiently. She took a deep breath of relief holding Henry close to her, her fingers playing with his brown hair. She knew she was happy to have her son back and have everyone back in one piece but something inside her wasn't sitting right.

She turned slightly and looked up to see Hook staring at her, they met eyes and electricity coursed through her. Of course she knew she had chemistry with the infamous pirate but she didn't know if she was stable enough to march down that road just yet. She chewed on the side of her cheek in thought; did she want to go down that road, _at all_?

She was the type to deny things that she didn't want to accept, just take the map Pan gave to her as an example. How was it going to be easy to show Hook that she cared when she has titanium walls built around her from Neal? She sighed and looked back onto the sea, this was going to be a lot more complicated than she thought. Can't one thing her life just stay simple enough?

_I'm going to win your heart. _

Hook's whispered words crooned in her ear as a chill went down her spine. Why was it that a little over a year ago, she had nothing in life and then the next minute, she was the Savior, her birth parents were Snow White and Prince Charming, and to top it all off she also had _Captain Hook_ and her son's father fighting over her heart?

She ran a shaky hand through her hair and felt someone plop down next to her. To her surprise, it was her mother, Snow. She gave her a small smile and felt Henry get up to go to Neal's request. "You know, I had that same look once." Emma turned her head inquiringly to her mother. "It may have not been the same reason, but it's the look of someone that's distraught about love."

Emma gave a nervous 'psh' noise with her lips and stood, "I'm not distraught." She looked up and saw they were so close to the dock. Snow gave unbelieving eyes to Emma, "Oh really? Well, then if you're not distraught why not talk to Neal about what sleeping arrangements Henry will have? Or talk to Hook about needing help with the ship, hmm?"

Emma gave her a withered look, "Okay, fine, but it's not a look about being distraught about love, it's just a look of being distraught." Snow's lips curved into a sly smile. "Of course, whatever you say. Just tell me one thing?" Emma turned exasperated with her oceanic eyes full of irritation. "Who are you really in love with?"

"I-" Emma started but the boat rocked to the side and Hook yelled, "We've reached the dock." Snow turned around to go greet her friends off the Jolly Roger. Emma sighed in relief and grabbed her jacket off the ship. "Emma," she heard her name being called and she turned to lock eyes with Hook. "Hook-" he flashed a charming smile at her, "I heard that Granny's has really good burgers, I've never gotten to try them until now, why don't we go?" Emma opened her mouth to ask where he got the idea of asking her out but Snow's sly smile got into her head.

"I'm guessing you heard from Mary Margret," "aye, but it still won't change my idea for taking you out for some simple dining." Emma gave him a small smile. "Let's just see where the Welcome Home celebration comes in first, shall we?" Hook gave a smile and held out his arm to her.

Emma entered her home and nearly dove face first into her bed, "Emma, darling, you should take a nice long shower and rest up." Emma poked her head up from her bed sheet to look at Snow. "Do you want me to rest up because you know that Hook asked me out or because I could just use the rest?" Snow turned her head up to stare out the window with a dignified smile on her face, "Both, now wash up." Emma groaned into her pillow.

In the end, Emma stayed sleeping until late into the night, even after her supposed date with Hook. This left her upset after she awoke to find it at 10 o'clock, _two hours after her date._ Emma sat straight up and began to panic going through her drawers to find suitable clothes to go apologize. "Emma, what are you doing?" Snow said rubbing her eyes, holding a glass of water. "I completely forgot about Hook! You let me sleep in?" "Well, I assumed you didn't want to go, I'm sure he's not heart-broken."

Emma gave her another angry look holding jeans and a sweater in her hands. "Go back to bed, Mary Margret." Snow gave a glare at her to hear those words. She didn't like the fact that her daughter was still calling her by her old alias. She sighed and went back to bed. Emma threw up her hands and ran her hand through her hair. "Can I make anyone else angrier at me?" With that, she dressed quickly and grabbed her boots and coat and marched out to her buggy.

To her relief, Hook was staring out on the sea, clasping and unclasing his hook. She entered the dock causing him to turn around. "You're a little late, love." "Hook, I know, I'm so sorry you have to listen to me-"

"I understand,"

she paused before could say anything else. "What did you just say?" Hook stood up and walked up to her, "I said, I understand, Henry probably wanted his parents to be together-" "No, no, Hook it wasn't like that. I slept in, I passed out from coming back home and Mary Margret didn't wake me up." Hook looked at her, "You're saying that you didn't go off with Neal and Henry off into a family-happy-sunshine-time?"

"No. I just slept in, I had no intention of standing you up, I swear." Hook raised an eyebrow. "You know you're going to have to pay me back for that failed attempt at me trying to win your heart." She raised her own eyebrow. "How can I pay you back?" Hook raised his, _well, his hook_ and moved a small piece of hair behind Emma's ear. He leaned in close, "I think you know the question to that, lass." With that he gave a wink.


	2. Chapter Two : Killian : HOOK

_HOOK_

Aye, did she look so beautiful in this moment, she may have her hair flying everywhere but in this slow motion that my eyes captured was breath-taking. Her blue eyes looked piercing in the cold night air. Her hair was flying around which took every ounce of me not to just catch all the strays.

Her eyes were the most important to me though; those were what caught me instantly when I first saw her. Those magically tormenting eyes made me want her even more. I knew the types of women to play hard to get and eventually I get them. Emma, however, was nothing like my seafaring ladies that I met along my travels.

"Hook-" Emma started but I placed my index finger on her lip leaning in closely. "It's better if you don't speak, lass." I knew Emma wanted to kiss me as much as I did. Her body was rebelling against what she was telling herself not to do. "We shouldn't do this, you know that it'll be bad and I just came to ap-" "Shh." I whispered and felt her lips gently swipe across mine.

Emma was patient like she was holding herself back but I, on the other hand, had other plans. "You have to let go sooner or later, Emma." I inched closer my eyes never removing from hers, her oceanic blue eyes went from my impatient lips to my eyes. "Trust me, I wan-" I lunged in for the kiss but something pulled me away from it.

"What's your real name?" She blurted out. I paused, I held her face in my hand, her smooth face in my hand and her lips oh-so close to mine. "I beg your pardon?" I whispered, "You want to win my heart, right?" I nodded giving her a look. "Tell me who you are and your story. My view of you is very skewed and thrown around."

What was she doing? Was she trying to distract me from my lips going against hers? Or was she just too afraid to kiss me again? I stood up straight and rubbed my jaw and sighed leaning against the pillar of the ship. "Killian Jones," I said crossing my arms. "Killian Jones," Emma repeated out loud and oh, how much I loved her to say my name. It made my heart ache for her to say it again.

"I had an older brother, Liam, who is dead now, he was Captain and I was the lieutenant for his ship that we sailed for the King at the time. " "How did he..?" Emma asked her head just twitching to the right trying not to ask the question that I hated to have to answer. "The king ordered us, the ship, to look for a mysterious healing potion known as Dreamshade." Emma's face changed from interested to full of sympathy.

I made a smile thinking of the silly argument he and I had. "We got to Neverland, found the Dreamshade and we argued over how it did not look like a medicinal plant." Emma sat down on a barrel next to me staring up. "He tried to prove his point and his loyalty to the King to show me that it was a healing source, instead, it's what lead him to his demise." I sighed feeling the small ache in my chest.

"Hook, I'm-I'm so sorry about your brother." She sighed her hand touching mine softly. I looked down at the touch of her cold hands. "Lass, your hands are colder than the sea water." She gave a smile. "Well, not to complain but it is freezing out here."

"This would be the point where I would invite you in my bed quarters." I winked down at her which got her to roll her eyes. "I should go back, and rest since tomorrow the Welcome Back party is tomorrow." I nodded at her and watched her stand up.

My hand gripped hers for a minute, with a quick jerk of the wrist I caused her to turn around. "Are you sure you want to leave so early? After all the night is still so young." Once again, hesitation flickered across her eyes and I knew she did want to stay. "No, I really can't. I'm gonna go. I'll see you at Granny's?" "Goodnight, Emma." I murmured.

"Night, Hook." She whispered, "Killian," I muttered which caused her to turn. "What was that?" "You can call me Killian now, love." This caused Emma to smile at me, my heart pounded against my chest and I smiled back at her. "Goodnight, _Killian._" Emma murmured, I came up to her and kissed her on the cheek giving her a wink. "Night, lass," I watched her blush and try to hide it as she walked off my ship. I turned around and went to my bed quarters. "I'm getting there slowly."

"_What you think that kiss actually meant something?"_

"_I do, I think it means she's really starting to see me for the man that I am."_

"_What, A one handed pirate with a drinking problem?"_

I turned over in my bed thinking of Pan's words in my head, ever since we left Neverland, that conversation has never left my thoughts. It's kept me up most nights and it's kept me to be unstable to be around Emma. Does she see me like that? A crippled alcoholic? Or does she really see me as a man of the honor that I am?

"_Well, you are a pirate." _

A pirate? Is that all she ever thought, as we trekked through that damned Neverland together? Walked through bloody hell and back fighting for our lives against the Lost Boys, as we shared that kiss? Did she think she was kissing a pirate or kissing the man I want her to know me as?

Sitting up in my bed, I grabbed my flask off the table and took a swig, letting the warm rum slide down my throat making a grimace as it hit. I opened the window and felt the cool air on my bare chest, sitting down on the window seat. I let the rum pour out of the flask.

Maybe, it was time for a change, maybe it was time for me to show Emma that I'm improving. Show her that I'm not the man that first docked into Storybrooke, show her that I'm not the man she fought against with Cora. Show her that I want to be with her and will fight for her. Neal may be the father of Henry, but if there's one thing I'm good at. It's being clever and being sneaky.

With a smirk on my face, I slid back into bed and began to think out my devilishly evil plot and how I knew to get Emma's affections. It was my turn to get my happy ending.

_WRITER'S NOTE:_

_Wooooowww! I could not believe the amazing feedback I got for this! Thank you guys for leaving reviews and following this story! It means so much to me! I'll try to keep it updated as much as possible! Just keep leaving your love and I'll make more! Thank you! _


	3. Chapter Three : Pressure : EMMA

_EMMA _

_I closed the door and high-fived my forehead, "Since when are you the one to get flustered?" I muttered shrugging off my jacket. I heard Mary Margret's and David's snoring from above and tried to surpress the eye roll. I wonder how much longer I have until Mary Margret gets David to move out? It wasn't like I had a problem with it but they can be a little, clingy._

_Which isn't a problem but someone like me, who's grown up alone needs space every now and then. Something Hook doesn't know how to do. I sighed and unzipped a boot kicking it toward my closet and reached for the other. Does he ever get lonely on that boat since his crew is gone? I wondered slipping off my boot._

_Was Hook-**Killian **the one to admit that he's lonely? I smiled at the thought of him grabbing my hand and murmuring closely to me. My heart thudded in my chest as I pulled pajama pants over my legs. No, stop. You have a choice to make between two men. I face planted into my pillow and gave a low groan of irritation. Seriously now is the time to throw a love triangle into the bowl of Swan soup? Why couldn't it have been convenient when you know, I'm not busy being the town's Savior? _

_Is that so hard to ask for? Just for a solid week without a villain to come into the picture? My stomach twisted when I thought of Greg and Tamara being double-crossed. I ran a hand through my hair, No don't think of Neverland. You are home and you are safe. You will not have to go back there, ever. You defeated Pan and he's in Pandora's Box. No more harm can come from him. You are no longer a pawn in his twisted game. _

_I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing and thought of how nice the Welcome Home party will be tomorrow night. I thought of how happy we'll all be and that it'll be tranquil for a small amount of time until we have to go back and save someone else. Think of the happy time, Emma, think of the happy time damnit! While I argued to myself, I did find myself somewhere in the dreams, the only place where I was safest._

_I was on the beach (any beach) and I was watching Henry play with David and Mary Margret playing with Henry. I felt someone's arm slip around my waist, I laid my head in the crook of their neck. I looked over and grasped his hand seeing one hook stick out. I looked up and Killian gave me a wink and his infamous winks before yelling; "EMMA"_

_"Emma!" Mary Margret shouted which caused me to stir out of my dream. I opened an eye to see my mother hovering over me. "You should shower and start getting ready, David and I have to go check on the dwarves and…" Mary Margret continued on about her queenly duties while I slid out of bed and went to the coffee maker. I grasped the Foldgers container and scooped it into the coffee filter while she murmured on._

_Dropping in 3 cups off water in, I hit the button and waited it to start. I turned around and nodded to Mary Marget, "We'll be back, okay?" David said putting a scarf around his neck. "Alright, I'll shower and probably lay around here drinking this." Mary Margret gave me a look of go-be-a-sheriff and I sighed._

_"I'll see you guys around town, probably." I smiled at them, Mary Margret turned to David and in that moment I saw a little relief in there. I knew every morning from now on, she'll always have that look on her face. Considering she almost lost David out in Neverland, I kept my eyes down trying to leave them to their private moment together before heading out. There was a part of me that wished that I found my true love; my prince charming on a white horse. Then the other half consisted of being busy with Henry and being the Savior._

_By noon, I was taking my rounds around the town, everyone waved to each other or at me. I passed Henry's school for a small moment trying to catch him at recess. I hummed along to the radio station's latest hits by doing this I found a center of normalcy in my crazy life full of fairy tales. The grey clouds were just coming together for another rain shower when I pulled up to Gold's._

_The door jingled above me as Gold gave me an unreadable expression while he cleaned off a brass tea pot. "What can I do ya for, dearie?" "I'm actually looking around today." I gave a small smile to him, he looked up with a vacant expression. "Anything that involves enchanting or magic based items?"_

_"No." I said looking at his collectibles, "Who's the gift for, dearie? Henry? Or a gentlemen caller? You seem to have many of those today." I looked up at him with my own unreadable expression. Before I could properly use a pun, Belle came out holding some dusty books. "Don't poke fun at Emma, Rumple. Hello Emma." I gave Belle a smile. "Belle, do you need some help with those?" She looked down at her hands. "Of course, I have one last set to put into the library, take these."_

_The books shed their dusty wins as a puff of it came off into my face. "Thanks, Belle." I coughed and backed up fanning the air. I coughed into my arm and saw something glimmering in one of the glass cases. I peered in to see a gold flask shining in the window, "something catch your eye, dearie?" Gold smirked and I looked over. Once again before I could get a word out Belle came back with a stack of old books. "Shall we go, sheriff Swan?"_

_I nodded and kept a watchful eye on Gold as we left. "Are you still tired from your Neverland?" Belle asked while her heels clacked against the pavement. "A little ship lagged but it's nothing that coffee can't fix." "Thanks for the help by the way, these books were Rumple's from the Enchanted Forest he said they're good for kids who want to read anything on the Enchanted Forest."_

_"That's very polite of him but who would write 12 books on the enchanted forest?" I murmured, "Someone who's been living there a long time." Belle said giving me a wink. Belle went up to the door and gently pulled it open. I hooked my foot in the door, "you go in first." I smiled._

_While she went in, I heard another familiar ding from Gold's shop, I looked over and saw a black coat and boots step in. "Was that..?" "Baelfire?" Belle asked which caused me to turn my head. "I'm sorry?" "Have you talked to Baelfire? Or well should I say Neal?" "Oh, oh! Not since yesterday when I helped Henry pack to stay with him. "You should really talk to him, maybe work out a schedule for Henry?" Belle suggested dusting off one book._

_I rested the stack on the table and took my own duster. "Yeah, I was gonna talk to him about that at the Welcome Back party tonight, are you going?" Belle smiled at me, "Of course, I wouldn't miss it for anything! Besides, Granny is holding some burgers for me." Shaking my head and giving a laugh, I dusted off a page._

_By sun down I was in Granny's wearing a black dress, a grey wool cardigan, tights and my favorite black boots. I chose to have my hair let down because I knew nothing with hair pins. Holding a nice cold beer in my hand, I saw Regina sitting over in the corner and I approached her, "So, I think that you, Neal, and me will have joint custody on Henry."_

_Regina raised an eyebrow, "and what pray tell will make me want to have a joint custody?" "Him telling you he wants one when he comes through that door with his dad." I sighed taking a sip of my beer with eyes of you-know-I'm-right. Regina gave an irritated sigh, "How do you manage to split up a week between 3 parents?" "Easily, we each get a week with Henry, then on the last week of the month he chooses who he wants to stay with for the last month."_

_"Or he can stay with us.." I heard Mary Margret say as she sat down next to me. I swiveled my chair around to look at her. "We live in the same place, how will that work?" I asked, Mary Margret smiled and handed me a slip of paper with a small 4 bedroom house on the front. "David and I got it this morning, isn't it cute Emma?"_

_Wait. She got a home without asking me about it? "You didn't tell me you were going to buy a house." Mary Margret sighed and looked at David with the same optimistic smile. "We did tell you but you were making coffee and zoning us out." "I-I wasn't zoning you out, per say." Mary Margret gave me a look that shut me up immediately. "If you don't want him to stay with us, that's fine but at least think of it this way, we can all share Henry."_

_"Wouldn't the moving around be a little difficult for a child?" Regina said with more irritation. "Not exactly but we can't just lay this on him yet." I said feeling a small amount of pressure. The door jingled and I turned around to see Hook walk through the door._

_My mouth dropped at the sight of him. It was Hook but it wasn't Hook to say. Killian walked in wearing dark jeans, a black button up tucked into those pants and a leather jacket, his signature necklace hung casually over. "Hook?" I asked standing up to look at him leaving Mary Margret to bargain with Regina. "Aye, love, what do you think of the new clothes?" "I'm a little surprised, but it suits you, you look great." I smiled up at him._

_"Just wait until you see the rest of me, lass." He winked, the doors opened again and Neal and Henry came through. Neal and I met eyes as Hook turned around so did they. Henry went to David and Mary Margret then to Regina. "Hey, Em. Hook," "Always a pleasure, Neal." Hook hissed. "Do not start here," I hissed at the both of them. Henry then came back to me and hugged me tightly. "Mom! You gotta listen to what Regina said and what Dad and I talked about…" This then took me away from the two men that were both waiting for an answer that I couldn't give._

[WRITERS NOTE]

Hope you enjoyed! The next one can be put up tomorrow or today, it might come late tomorrow though. Your choice! Please let me know if you have any questions!


	4. Chapter Four :Tangled : HOOK

DARK HORSE [4]

_HOOK _

My original plan was to impress Emma so much that she'd leave Neal for me but it that seemed to backfire since she hasn't stopped sitting with Neal and Henry. I sat with Charming and the Dwarves keeping an eye on Emma every now and then. "What'd I say about my daughter, Hook?" Charming would say every now and then but I'd just cast him a smile.

I knew that he was just being a protective father but this isn't my first rodeo about a father standing in my way. He's a minor storm in my waves to reaching to Emma but it's that bloody Neal that's the typhoon. Emma's expression either never changed or I was bad at reading her expressions. (Obviously, the second one is wrong.)

"So, here we are battering the hell out of the stone and I'm just hammering away-" the beardy one, the pack leader started. "He's so infuriated that Snow and Emma are _still_ in the enchanted forest," another one that I had no interest to remember replied back. "So, I start hammering and then I put slight pressure on it and I just slide and fall through the wall!"

Charming laughed and I looked back at him, everyone here seemed to be laughing or smiling in some sort of way. Each one of these townsfolk all had bad beginnings but their still searching for their happy endings? That was something I couldn't get through my head. Was everyone entitled to their own happy ending? Or maybe it's just their own thought of having a happy ending? Why did I care so much about happy endings? Why was I even asking myself these ridiculous questions?

I looked over at ol' Crocodile sitting with his lady who was eating a burger, somehow as I watched him closely. His eyes were glimmering full of happiness, did he find his soul-mate? His happiness made me jealous. He stole my own from me and yet here he is glimmering with love and I'm sitting in unfamiliar clothes and the Lass is sitting with his son.

I felt one of them nudge me and I looked over, "Do you want a beer?" I heard the beardy one ask me. "Oh, no thanks, mate." I said looking back over at Emma. "Hook, are you just going to gawk at my daughter through this whole night?" "If it means to get to talk to her, possibly mate." Charming sighed and rolled his eyes. I see where Emma got _that _from.

Suddenly, Emma's chair squeaked loudly and she was red in the face with anger. "No, you can't do that! I just got my son back after _your_ 'fiancé' got him nearly killed! No way in hell, Neal!" Emma turned on her heel grabbing her coat and went around back. I saw Neal stand up to go after her but Mary Margret put a hand on him. I took this golden opportunity to go check on her myself.

"Where are you going?" Charming asked putting his hand on me and standing up, "I'm going to go talk to Emma, see if she's okay." "Don't bug her, Hook, she's probably not in the mood." I looked up at him, "Why would I want to go pester an angry woman? I've learned my lesson more than once, mate." I removed his hand and went out the door.

Emma's car was parked across the street but she wasn't in it. "Emma?" I called out waiting for her to throw a profanity or at least throw something but nothing but the crickets. "Emma? I'm not going to bug you, I swear, Lass." I murmured. I heard a bottle fall and a curse word, "Found you." I muttered and turned around to the alleyway of the diner.

It was probably the darkest alleyway, she was very well hidden since she was dressed in black. I came up to her and she was holding her hand and muttering cuss words. She saw me walking and groaned, "Not right now, Killian." I held up my hands, "I just came to see if you're okay." "I'm fine, thanks." She hissed holding her hand. "By the looks of it, you aren't okay."

"I said I'm fine!" She snapped, her body was shaking with anger. I took a step forward holding my hands up. "I'm not here to bug you, Emma." I said calmly. "Then what the hell are you here for?" I couldn't see her all the way in the darkness. Her voice cracked but I moved forward. "I came to check on you, and maybe if you'll let me, check your hand." "Just go, Killian!" She yelled.

"If there is one thing I've learned about headstrong women, it's to never leave them when they are upset." Emma ran a hand through her hair, frustrated. She came out the shadows just long enough for me to see her teary eyes and long enough for me to get shoved. "Just go! Jesus! Let me be myself."

Something told me that this wasn't her just being angry at Neal. I didn't move and she turned back around. "God, you are so persistent!" I saw her lunge forward, either for a punch or a shove, either way I didn't want to find out. My hand found her wrist and I caught it, I saw her raise her other arm and I blocked that with my forearm.

I pushed her against the wall to block anymore counter attacks. A grunt came past her lips as the force of the wall hit her back. "Don't fight me, I'm not your enemy, love." I whispered staring into her eyes, she fought against me for a solid minute and then after looking up at me she stopped. We locked eyes for a moment. In that moment I was clear that she had something in there for me.

It was that one look that she and I shared, that one look that set us alive. Then, like a moth to the flame our lips connected into a heated kiss. Her anger and my calmness mixed into a hot & cold remedy. My hand loosened on her wrist and then finally I let them go letting her arms wrap about my neck and tangle in my hair. I felt her tongue on my lower lip, her tongue tracing my bottom lip carefully.

A groan escaped my lips as my body reacted in a way it shouldn't have. I grasped her leg and wrapped it around my waist as with the other leg, closing the remaining space between us. Our lips never stopped moving. It was heated, it was angry, and it was passionate.

I would say this is almost as good as when she kissed me in Neverland but it's nothing close. My hand tangled in her blond hair as my hook gently stroked her side. Emma removed her lips from mine and I felt her ground her hips into mine which caused me to groan loudly. My lips went to her neck almost immediately as this happened as a reflex I began to grind back.

"_Killian_," she growled on my lips, "Oh, don't do that to me, lass." I hissed grinding my teeth to suppress anything else I could do. "_Take me_," I froze as with my heart as she half whimpered and half moaned it. "You don't want that," I whispered. "Oh, yes. I do, please take me, Killian." She whispered lustfully with her hips into mine. With her begging like this, it wasn't hard for me to say yes. But a part of me was saying to not take her. She's vulnerable and upset, I'm not a man of bad form. "Killian, please, just-" she was cut off when we heard the diner door open. "Emma?" Charming called out.

_Bloody hell_


	5. Chapter Five : Concentrate : EMMA

_EMMA_

I was angry, No, I was _fuming_. I had to sit through Neal, Henry, Regina, and Snow all telling me what their own schedule for Henry should be like? I'm his biological mother and Regina has had a place with him. Why is it that Mary Margret and David must have their own scheduled time? Why is that I have to benefit everyone else and not me?

And then Neal had to tell me he wanted have joint custody of Henry as well? After how he brought Tamara into this? How he put our son in danger? I understand that maybe it wasn't his fault and maybe that he knew Tamara wasn't a bad person but in all respect, he still didn't believe me when all signs pointed to her.

What is that going to make me do? Well, it's obviously going to get me angry and by angry I mean _infuriated. _I knew it wasn't going to be that bad to let him get some time with Henry, but not all of the time. Then after he saw me starting to get angry, he has the nerve to ask about my _choice_ about Hook.

So, what do I do naturally? I blow up. I blow up like a firecracker on fourth of July. I had never blown up like that, ever. It was the building pressure from everyone coming to me and asking me for things that I just could not give an answer to. I had to leave and I had to just get some air, that is before Hook managed to show up.

Hook and I froze when we heard David yell my name. "Shh." Hook murmured against my lips and gently scooting closer in to the dark alley; setting me on my feet he went in front of me and watched closely. David peered into the darkness of the alleyway and he and I made eye contact. I couldn't help but wonder if this was probably what getting caught by your parents felt like.

"Emma?" David called my name again and turned around looking in the street then going back inside. A breath of air came out of my lungs as Hook turned back around to face me. I hadn't noticed that my body was jumping with adrenaline and electricity from Killian and I's kiss. (another thing to add on the _One Time Thing_ list.) Hook rubbed his mouth and gave a small laugh to me.

"You know what you need?" He asked me, his luminescent moss eyes staring intently at me. "Are you asking me, or are you going to order me?" "Preferably asking but if it's for you to agree then I'm ordering." I gave him a smile. "What do I need, Killian?" "You need a break from this place from Neal, and Regina, and your charming parents."

I raised an eyebrow and crossed my arms, trying to avoid the warm feeling that spread throughout my body from our kiss prior from five minutes ago. "I don't need another field trip to deal with more villai-" He grasped my hand and laced his fingers through mine. Leaning in closely, just close enough to have his lips almost brush against mine.

This caused another scorching wave through my veins and my heart to putter and stutter in my chest. "This is no field trip, this is you and I finding our own Neverland." I looked up at him and felt his hand touch my cheek softly. "Are you ready for that adventure, love?" I couldn't speak, breath or even think properly but my body was already nodding the answer to him.

Turns out this adventure was just us on the ship but something was different on the ship. Hook sailed out a couple miles from the town and I couldn't help but notice the stress fading away from me the farther we got. While Hook steered I stayed close to him, every minute that ticked off the closer I got. The cold air was flowing through my hair and the smell of the salty water wafted onto the ship.

"What are we going to do when we stop?" I asked leaning on the balcony to stare Hook in the face. He looked up and gave that smirk that I couldn't help but smile back at. "That would ruin the element of surprise, wouldn't it now, Love? " I gave him a look and then smiled. After another mile and we were finally far enough away from the town, Hook dropped anchor.

"This is your big adventure?" I asked watching him leave his post to go to the main deck. "Do you always ask questions, Emma?" I crossed my arms as a cold wind swept my way. "I don't know, why don't you tell me?" "I'd like to but you keep asking more questions. Now, please come over here." I sighed and went down to the main deck where Hook held his hand out.

"What are you doing?" Hook smiled, "I'm showing you how I used to win women over." He winked and I placed my hand in his. Hook grasped my arm and brought me in tightly. His hook went around my waist while his hand held mine. "We can't dance out in here, there's no music." "Nature is music itself, Emma, just listen." He murmured. I stayed silent listening to 'nature's music' which consisted of the wind hitting the ships masts.

_This is ridiculous, he's obviously failing at being romantic. There's no music and it's darker than hell out here. How did he manage to make women swoon with no light and no music out in the sea? How did he even manage to keep them on a ship? Maybe, I'm overthinking it and maybe the reason I'm not listening is because I'm __thinking. __I should really stop doing that. _

I listening to the creaking of the ship, the angry water hitting the ship, the groaning of the ship, and then my damned stutter breathing of Hook being so close to me. _What was he trying to prove? That I have no musical bone in me to actually do this whole winning-my-heart-thing? _

I nearly opened my mouth to complain but that's when I heard the music, it was soft but it _was_ music. It was a combination of everything all at once. I heard Hook's and I's heart beats matching as one, I heard the waves gently hitting the boat, the wind flying through the ships masts making the perfect noise. It was the most calming music that I've heard in a long time.

"I'm guessing you're hearing the music of the sea now, hmm?" He murmured in my ear, "You may have won this, but it's still dark." Hook sighed and I couldn't help but give a sheepish smile. "There's a candle on the far right of the ship, why don't you light it with your magic?" "I-I, you know I'm bad at that!" I said feeling the blush run to my cheek. We still swung around in perfect circles.

"Just concentrate, concentrate like you did when we were getting Pan's shadow." I could just faintly make out the candle. I took a deep breath and let my hand slide out of Hook's and held it up. Hook's arm was still wrapped around my waist as his lips swept across my ear. "Concentrate on you and I, not because you're the savior because you and I are in this moment." He murmured gruffly. I took a deep breath and felt the same warmth course through my veins and felt one small surge go through me. Instantly, the ship lit up like a Christmas tree. The one candle ended up being a domino effect of many being spread across the ship.

I looked around and finally saw Hook clearly, his eyes were holding that one emotion that caught my heart in Neverland. It was the look of _Love_ etched in his eyes. It took my breath away staring at him like that. He gave a smile and leaned in, "That is the look that I wished you gave me every day," I cleared my throat, "what look?" Hook smirked and brought me back into his chest. "The look of that you wouldn't mind waking up to me every morning."

"You really do know how to romanticize a woman, don't you?" I grinned up at him; "Many years of it, love, many years of knowing what a woman wants and what a woman desires." "Do you know what I desire, then?" He looked down at me. "Sadly, I don't. You're not like the women that I met in my travels, I think you knew that answer though." Giving a guilty smile, I shook my head.

He gave a sincere laugh and my heart thudded in my chest. "Am I winning you over yet?" He asked after a moment. "You're getting there, Hook-" "_Killian,_" He corrected almost sounding hurt. "Why do you care so much if I call you Hook or Killian?" I asked looking up at him. "Because Hook was the man that lived a life full of revenge and anger; I'm not that man anymore, Emma. Nor do I want to go back and be him, I want you to call me Killian because I want you to see me as a man worthy of you, not a drunkard without a hand."

I looked up at him suddenly, "Don't you ever think that you were unworthy of me because you drank and because Gold took something from you, don't ever." I hissed staring up at him. "What you show me from in here-" I put my hand on his chest, "is what changes my mind, not that you're not like everyone else." He looked into my eyes for a long moment. "If anything, I love that you're different from everyone else." I stuttered over the word _love. _Hook gave me a long look and then stroked my face, "that's what I've been waiting to hear." He pulled me in for another kiss and I found myself melting with him.


	6. Chapter Six : Breakfast : HOOK

_HOOK_

That Lass had my heart strings in her fingers and strummed cords to play a tune. I helped her off the ship letting her finger slip from my own. Her eyes never left mine as she walked away slowly. The candles were long blown out so the only thing that glowed were the lights on the dock. I watched her small frame leave me for the night. I placed my hand on my chest feeling it thump on my palm.

Emma may know how much I care for her, but she doesn't know how much I actually love her. Of course she was different from my Milah. No one can compare to Milah, but no one can compare to Emma either. It was hard for a man like me to admit that I've found myself in love since I spent so many years full of anger and lusting for revenge that I forgot to care.

You can imagine my surprise when Emma came into my life dagger to my throat. It was interesting to meet a woman outside of the enchanted forest. A woman of great strength, wit, and abiding beauty; of course pirate like me couldn't help but fall in love. I didn't intend on it since she was as angry as a bat out of hell. I've stated before that I never knew that I would fall in love again since Rumplestiltskin ripped out Milah's heart in front of my eyes and took my hand.

The ship groaned and creaked as I walked along it rubbing my hook across my chin staring at the water. I wondered what other ways there was to get one step closer to winning Emma over. _I know that Bae has at least a foot ahead of me since he is the father of her child. _That thought stirred angrily in my stomach while I thought of that. Another man having to hold Emma, touch her, make her happy like I wanted to do. The one thing I had on my side was jealousy, and when I was jealous, I win.

I wondered what Emma reall thought of me, was she starting to fall for me? I wasn't used to this actual work. I was the one that all the women flocked to, I was the one that every woman would leave the altar for. Which ended up sadly for the lasses since I lived a life of bachelorhood; smiling at the thought of one of the Princesses (of the many) trying to get to me in her wedding gown. Those days seem like so long ago, where all I had to do was look for that bloody crocodile.

Taking a deep breath, I didn't let the bad thoughts sink into me. I worked too hard to throw this all away for something that happened centuries ago. I had someone that was falling for me and that knew me for the man I was, a good man. "I'm a good man." I murmured to myself walking down to my bed quarters.

I woke up the next morning to stare at the clothes that I bought from the shop down from Granny's diner. It consisted of jeans, a white button down, and a black vest plus the black leather jacket I bought. This was one attempt, of the many, to get Emma to notice me. She may have kissed the pirate on the island but she'll fall in love with the man here.

When I got off my ship, I could help to feel bare without my sword on me. There wasn't any reason to have it on me; there was no danger here anymore nor did I feel like I was in any danger. I walked the dock to smell the oceanic breeze and the fishermen beginning to start their jobs. It was nostalgic in the smallest way possible. It brought a smile to my face while my nose was being bitten by the foggy winter morning.

Going through the docks, I walked towards Granny's in hope of some breakfast, it was nearly ten in the morning as I walked across the street. I knew that Granny would at least keep breakfast open until midmorning. I dug my hand into my pocket to keep it away from the harsh winter. With my hook, I swung the door open. The bell jingled and people looked over at me. I kept my eyes down and strode up to the counter.

The werewolf-y one stared at me with a notebook open in her hand. She gave me a weary look and smiled, "Can I get you some coffee, or a scotch?" she looked at me. "Both would be nice but I'm trying to cut back." "On the coffee or the scotch?" she asked. Giving a small laugh, I opened a menu; "Just a coffee." "Make that two!" I turned around to see Bae walk into the room.

"Bae," I murmured as he sat down next to me. "We haven't gotten to talk since Neverland, Captain." He hissed at me. I nodded in agreement swiveling in my chair to face him while my coffee and his simmered together. "Listen, I think you should know why I decided to talk to you," He started. "I'm assuming it's not for my charming personality?" I smiled at him which Bae gave me an unimpressed look. "You and I are both fighting for the same girl's heart." I nodded.

"I don't know what you're pulling with Emma but you need to stop. She won't give you the time of day, especially with a man of your background." I rubbed my jaw and looked up at him. "She's seeing me for the man I am now," I ushered to my new clothes and raised an eyebrow. "She's seeing me as the man that helped save her son, the man that helped her save you, and the man that is good." I smirked.

"I'm also the father of her son, the love of her life, and she and I know the real each other, can you say that?" I shook my head, "I think you're still fighting me for when I whisked your mother away on her feet." I had no time to think about how awkward it must be or Bae. The man he thought he escaped, the man that broke up his father and mother's marriage, and the one that got her killed. I was not going to lie and say that it wasn't weird to see him grown up and be my age but I'm sure it's weird for him to see that I've never aged.

"You're not going to bring that up, ever." He hissed. "It's bringing gasoline to the flame, mate." I hissed at him. "This isn't something to play the with, Hook." I took a sip off my coffee, "Neither is Emma's affections, isn't it now?" I stood up and smacked down a five on the counter. "Thanks for the coffee but I lost my appetite." Storming out of the diner with adrenaline and pure anger coursing through my vein I took in deep breaths.

Suddenly, an idea popped into my head. Going down the street I saw the familiar school bus that picked up Henry park. Regina was standing with Henry holding a brown bag and a smile on her face. I narrowed my eyes and hurried to Emma's apartment. Henry was smiling up at her as he boarded on the bus with his familiar red scarf and grey jacket. He looked a lot like Bae but he had Emma's spunk, that was for sure.

Getting closer to Emma would be going through her millions of bodyguards and Henry was one of them. I may have a few ideas how to win that boy over and it wasn't going to be an easy one at that. If there was someone that was more protective over Emma than Charming, it was Henry. What did eleven year olds like to do? The children in the Enchanted Forest weren't rich enough to afford a lot of toys but if he and those kids had something in common, it was imagination.

I entered the building and following the footsteps, I took deep breaths to stop my excited heart. Stopping at the third floor, I took another deep breath and knocked on the door. I heard a chair squeak and then the groaning wood of the apartment. The door opened to reveal Emma, she may have looked like she was a mess but I couldn't help but love it. Her hair was in the perfect wavy mess that I loved, and her usual eyes held a soft sleepy tone to them.

"Killian, what are you doing here so early?" "Well, I was actually going to eat at the diner but Bae showed up and spoiled my appetite." She raised an eyebrow, "Bae-Neal? What did he say to you?" "Just some little bitter-bickering, the usual between him and I." Emma's unchanging expression lead me to believe that she didn't care about my excuse. "In WORDS, what the hell did he say to you?"

"It was nonsense Emma, just stupid nonsense that men do." She gave a frustrated sigh, "then what did you come here for?" "For my good morning kiss, love," Emma glared at me and then went to her kitchen where she picked up a cup of (what looked like) coffee. "Killian, would you please tell me what he said to you?" I threw up my hand and sat on her kitchen chair. "If you must know, he said that there was basically no competition between him and I. He imagines that you are fair game to him and there is no you and I." I looked down and tasted the bitter-sweet jealousy in my mouth.

Emma banged her cup down and threw up her hands. "Are you serious? Why are you guys assuming that it'd be just a pick-and-chose easy thing?" Emma began to rant, I sighed and took a sip of her coffee as she went on her rant. "You guys make it seem like it's easy for me to do! I'm picking between two men that I have feelings for and you're taking it as a game!" "Aye!" I barked at her which caused her to turn. I stood up and went up to her. "Don't you dare assume that think your emotions are some plaything."

Emma stood there angrily with her arms crossed she stared up at me with her irresistible sea green eyes. "Do you understand me, I wouldn't do that to you." I placed my hand on her face and tilted it up, "I know, I just can't stand that you two think it's a race on who will win me over first. You guys know that it's not easy for me." "I wouldn't expect anything less, but even if you pick Bae. It won't stop my heart beating for you. It won't stop the feelings that I have for you."

I know that my words may have a heavy weight behind them but I had to tell her before anything else could happen. I had to tell her that my ageless feeling would not change no matter how old we got. "You're making this a lot harder, Killian." She sighed and leaned against my hand. "Nothing's easy, love, if it was there would be nothing exciting." "Kissing you is easy and exciting." She said with her eyes flickering from my eyes and my mouth.

"Let me make it easier for you then-" I leaned in and pulled her in closely but before my lips could touch hers the door opened.

"Oh my-I'm sorry for intruding." Emma and I both sprang apart and saw her parents standing in the doorway. _That's right, I forgot that they were moving_. I thought and watched as Mate's eyes flickered with anger to mine. "What did I tell you about Emma, Hook?" He growled and stepped forward before Snow put her arm out. "Don't-If Emma is busy we're going to respect her privacy. We're sorry for intruding-" "I'm not," Mate scoffed which made Emma shoot daggers at him.

"We came for boxes not to see our daughter kissing him." "Stop it, David." She hissed. I stepped back and held my hands up. "Why don't I come back at a better time, hmm?" Emma turned to me. "Killian, you don't have to leave because of David's rudeness." "Yeah, don't leave because my husband is a jerk." Snow chimed in. Mate stood there with a look of disbelief on his face. "Don't go, Killian, they're just here to get some boxes." I stood my ground on awaiting for Snow's answer. "Of course, we'll be a minute, Charming? Can you get those boxes over there?"

"Yes, your majesty." He groaned and picked up three medium sized boxes. "Do you need any help, lass?" I asked looking at Snow. She turned and picked up a box, her eyes flickered to Emma and then to me. "If you want, you can grab those boxes right there." I nodded and grasped the biggest one and helped carry it down the stairs. Before I left I gave a quick look over my shoulder to see Emma give an impressed look to Snow.

Ten boxes later Snow White and Mate were on their way back to their new house. "Thanks for helping them, I'm sorry that David is such a jerk to you." I shrugged with a smile, "It'll make things fun when you pick me." I gave her a wink and sat on her couch. She sat next to me resting her head on her hand staring at me. "You really didn't have to help them but it was really nice to do it anyways." I smiled at her.

I waved my hand at her, dismissing her thank yous. Emma looked over at the wall clock and sighed sadly. "What is it?" I asked leaning in towards her. "I have to get ready for work, it's slow now that there is nothing wrong." "Would you like me to get in some trouble and have you arrest me?" I gave her a saucy wink. "I'm not going to waste my handcuffs on you." She stood going towards her bedroom, "is there anything I can help you with, then?" She turned around holding two white towels.

"You can leave me to my privacy." "There's no fun in privacy." I pouted. She rolled her eyes and shoved my chest playfully. "Go, will you? Unless you'd like to wait outside the _locked _door and pout on how you wish you could be in there." Lass had a point but I still did my best to try. "Will I see you later today?" She shook her head, "I'm going to have Henry tonight so I don't know what he wants to do." "Why don't you guys come on my ship."

"Killian, he's been on the ship before." I gave her a clever smile, "but has he ever sailed it before?" Sure, I know that it was a hackneyed idea since I used the technique on Bae but it still worked. "Are you sure you want him to touch the Jolly Roger like that?" She smirked, I leaned in closely to her, "if it means for me to get touched by you, I'd let him ride the ship into another country, lass." Emma groaned and pushed me. "Goodbye, Killian!" "That one hurt, love, hurt me right here." I put my hand on my chest and slowly walked towards the door.

"I hope it did! Now, please leave my apartment so I can undress without wondering if you're peeking from somewhere." I laughed and opened the door. "After you and Henry have a snack at the diner is when I can take you guys?" Emma nodded trying to hold back a smile. "Goodbye, love, see you then." I waved myself off and proudly walked down the steps.

_Do you guys think that I portray Killian well enough? I'm afraid that I do a bad job at it because he's really snarky and sarcastic and I don't want him to seem too soft, okay? Leave your opinions on what I can do better? Thanks! _


	7. Chapter Seven : Depths : EMMA

_EMMA_

As I waited for the bus to come around the corner I couldn't help but smile at Killian's attempts at coming closer with me. I was impressed with him since this morning when he ignore David's rude remarks and helped they move out. He was really serious on trying to impress me and show me that he was a good man. I already knew he was a good man but he thinks that I'm probably not seeing enough of it.

Like clockwork the bus rounded the corner and I could clearly see Henry at the front of the bus. I smiled and waved to him fixing my coat as it parked across the street. I saw the doors open, the driver out first with his stop sign. Henry followed in pursuit with a happy look on his face; he crossed the street slowly looking both ways. It was hard to believe that nearly two weeks ago I could have lost him forever to Pan.

Every morning was hard to wake up because it felt like I was still in that damned jungle on that damned island. Henry rushed over to me and hugged me tightly; giving a squeeze back I wrapped my arm around his shoulders. "Do you want to go to Granny's today or do you want to drop off your stuff?" I asked him as we walked onto the sidewalk. "Let's go to Granny's; I'm in the mood for some hot chocolate." "How was school today, did you learn anything?"

He looked up at me and pursed his lips; I couldn't help but notice on how much he looked like Neal when he did that. It made my heart ache in the slightest but I didn't want to think of that yet but I wanted to think about was having him agree to go with Hook today. "Mom? Are you listening?" He asked me and I snapped out of my thoughts. "Oh, I'm sorry I have a lot of stuff on my mind, can you repeat that?"

"I said I learned that I'm great at reading aloud in class." I raised my eyebrows at him, "Well, we all know you're a good talker so that's a given." He grinned up at me as we walked up to the diner. "So, we got a couple of things to talk about." I sighed to him entering in. Ruby stood there with a warm smile on her face. "Let me guess, two hot chocolates with cinnamon?" I nodded at her and helped Henry take off his backpack. He slid into the booth and I got in on the other side.

"So, what do you want to talk to me about?" He gave me a look of curiosity. "Well, the first thing is about how you want the sharing schedule to be from now on." I sighed, "I don't know if you want to change houses every two days or-""What about every week?" I looked up at him returning the curious look. "I stay with you for a week, and then I stay with dad, then Regina, then Mary Margret and David?" I leaned back in my seat and thought of it. "Then, maybe we can meet up on Sunday's to bond and to switch over."

_This family is completely skewed beyond belief. _"That sounds like a good idea, it won't be too confusing for you?" Henry shook his head and opened up his backpack. "Since you and dad's fight a couple of days ago, I made this calendar up for this year." He put a calendar on the table just as Ruby came around with the hot chocolates. I picked up the calendar to see all of our weeks were written out successfully. Somehow, Henry never ceased to amaze me. "What do you think?" He asked taking a giant sip of his hot chocolate.

"Kid, you're too smart for your own good." I sighed and gave him a smile. "I already ran it through Regina, and she said it was a good idea, I just have to talk to Mary Margret and David." "What about your dad?" I asked raising an eyebrow with narrowed eyes. "I thought you could talk to him about it? Maybe you two can make up for the other night." I sighed and took a sip of the coffee; something in me wished that some brandy was in it.

"Let me think about it because I have _a lot _going on right now." I said realizing that I had a huge pile of stress on my shoulders. "Okay, what's the other thing you wanted to mention to me?" I looked up suddenly remembering Killian's request. How was I going to approach this one? I guess I'll just have to go straight through the bush. "Hook wants to hang out with us today," I said waiting for his angry remark.

Henry's face didn't change; all he did was take another sip of his hot chocolate. "What does he want to do?" Henry asked, "He wants to show you how to steer his ship." Henry's mouth dropped and his eyes danced with excitement. "He's gonna let me ride the ship?" I nodded, "He'll be here in about ten minutes as soon as you finish your hot choco-"Henry stood up and grabbed his backpack nearly sprinting out. I sighed and put a ten on the table and took a giant sip of hot chocolate.

"Henry waits for me! You're gonna run into someone!" I called after him as I went out the door. It turns out, I was right after all. Henry smacked right into Killian, Henry straightened himself and looked up. "Sorry, Hook. I didn't mean to run into you." Killian smiled down at him. "It's no problem; I'm guessing Emma told you about today?" He nodded at him. "Yeah, I'm so excited to learn." Killian laughed and placed a hand on his shoulder. "It'll be a lot of fun, mate, and ready to go?" Henry looked at me and followed with Killian who gave me a wink as we crossed the street.

We sailed a couple of miles away from Storybrooke when Hook finally let Henry hold the wheel. "You're a natural, Henry!" Killian grinned at him. I stood on the deck watching them closely but seeing how well Killian did with Henry made me realize that I didn't need to stare. Instead, I went into Killian's bed quarters. (I know I shouldn't have but the curiosity was killing me)

The quarter consisted of six windows all together on each side of the ship. A desk in the corner with stuff littered all over it, adjacent to the desk was a small chair; there was a small closet on the other side of the room. Killian's bed was huge; it was at least a California King. It was draped over with a thick red and gold blanket with two pillows strewn across the bed. I saw Killian's pirate outfit hanging on the closet door and I just could help myself but touch the thick leather and smile.

"You know, usually women touch my bed, not my clothes." I jumped hearing Killian's voice come close to me. I spun around and hit the closet door, "You scared me," I said putting a hand on my chest. "I didn't mean to, I just wondered where you ran off to, it makes sense now." I took a deep breath and then looked above me. "What's Henry doing? You left him alone on there?"

Killian gave me a look that held fake hurt. "You think I would let the boy steer my ship alone?" I looked at him in disbelief. "I think that you were smart enough to keep it on manual." Killian sighed with a look of irritation. "Emma, we have no mountains or cliffs to worry about you can relax what were you doing with my suit?" I looked over my shoulder and gave a sheepish smile. "I was just touching it; I kind of miss you wearing it." Killian looked down at his new clothes. "Do these not satisfy you?"

"No! They do because you look great in them; I just miss these a little bit." Killian leaned in, "You know if you want I can wear that again if you asked." I smiled at him; "I know but I like these outfits a lot better, it makes you look better." "You give a pirate some mixed signals, love." "I don't mean to but at least I'm not sending you into the depths of Davey Jones locker." "Love, you've stuck me in worse. You've stuck me in the depths of abstinence."

I gave a nervous laugh and backed up, it's not like I haven't thought about Killian like that. Practically a week ago I was begging him to take me. It's not like I have had the time to actually have him take me. It just hasn't been the good time and sleeping with Killian would only mix up my feelings worse. "I-I'm just gonna go check on H-Henry." I stuttered and then zipped out of the room.

Henry had one giant grin on his face as his hands remained motionless on the wheel. "Are you having fun, kid?" I asked going up the stairs, "Yeah, this is so cool. Hook taught me this trick on how to make the boat do one full circle, want me to show you?" "No, that's-that's okay maybe you can show me later?"Henry nodded. "Do you like him?" I looked over at Henry. "I-what did you just say?"

"I just asked if you liked him, he seems to really like you." I sat on the railing next to him. "Um, I don't know. It's hard to tell at this point but maybe." I gave him a smile, but truth was I did find myself falling for Killian. I was falling for Killian and what was going to hurt was where I was going to end up landing. "Do whatever makes you happy," Henry finally said which caused me to look up. "I just want you happy, mom. It'd be cool if you and dad got together but I know you wouldn't trust him so I just want you to be happy with whoever you choose."

"Thank you, Henry that means a lot." I sat up and ruffled up his hair planting a kiss on his head. "Aye, Henry, come here, lad!" Henry stood on his tip-toes to hold up two wooden swords. "I heard from Mary Margret that you and Charming like to play with these?" Henry grinned and left the wheel going down the stairs. "I'm totally gonna win this one." Henry grinned, "I don't think so, lad. Remember who you're going up against." "Psh, David has been teaching me every day; I'm almost as good as him!" "Prove it to me then!" Thus began the clanking of wooden swords.

An hour and a half we were back at Storybrooke laughing on how Henry managed to beat Killian. "You're a fast one, aren't you Henry?" "I told you I'm almost as good!" Killian rubbed his arm where Henry had whacked him hard. "Aye, and you were right, lad. You have one heck of an arm too." Killian and I smiled at each other. It was the perfect moment within itself that is until Neal had to ruin it.

There Neal was coming like a bat out of hell, with a face full of anger and eyes that look like he froze hell over. "So, this is your idea? Winning over my son with your clichéd schemes?" He said coming right up to Killian. "Whoa, whoa! Slow down Neal, what's gotten you this angry?" I asked putting an arm between them. "I was on my way to the diner to ask about a date tonight but what do I see instead? You guys boarding his ship!" Neal pushed against my arm. "Killian was nice enough to bring have Henry be the captain of his ship!" I said defensively.

Whatever had Neal hot bothered was getting me angry because I was not having a fight between these two again. "Is that your plan with everything, Hook? Just win kids over while you steal their mothers?" "I'm not doing anything to Henry." Killian hissed. Henry was standing behind Neal and I pulled my head to see him clearly. "Go get David." I mouthed and let Henry take off sprinting.

"He's not doing anything, Neal! He just took us out for a ride!" I said trying to push him away from him. "No, he's trying to weasel his way into your life by buying your son's affections! He did that with me when I was Henry's age!" "I'm not buying that lad's affections, you are a different story!" Killian objected. I couldn't help but look at Killian, "You did that with Neal?" Killian looked down at me and then at Neal.

"It was when he was abandoned by his own father and his mother was killed! This is different!" "How it any different, you're taking Henry's dream of having his family back together!" "I'm not taking anything from him, nor am I from you!" Killian finally hissed which caused Neal to finally lunge forward. "You son of a bitch!" Neal shoved me out of the way and Neal's fist connected to Killian's jaw.


	8. Chapter Eight : Plunge : HOOK

_HOOK_

I felt Baelfire's fist connect to my jaw, stumbling back I tried to regain my balance but instead of doing that Bae tackled me into the ground. I felt the hard ground cut into my bag and I let out a groan. He raised his fist to throw a punch but I blocked off the first attempt. With my hand I threw a punch and got him in the face. Anger bubbled inside of me like some vicious venom that seeped into my veins and clogged my thoughts.

Emma's attempts at trying to break us apart were failing but I refrained from shoving her to get out of the way from getting hurt. Baelfire got another hit into my face and I groaned feeling blood pool into my mouth. I threw another punch and rolled him over to finally start giving him the punches. "Killian, stop fiEmma pleaded as she tried to pull me off of him. "They're over there!" I heard Henry yell running down from the hill. "Hit me again, do it, you son of a bitch." Bae hissed which caused me to raise my fist.

David finally pulled Baelfire off of me and Emma pried me off of him. Emma dragged me back several feet before grasping my face in her hands and forcing me to look at her. The taste of copper pooled into my mouth. "This isn't you, look at me, this isn't you. You're not Hook anymore, Killian." Emma repeated. Adrenaline was coursing through my veins as I turned and spat out the blood that pooled into my mouth. I felt my cheek was bleeding in the slightest but I knew the bruise was coming.

"Emma, what the hell happened here?" I looked at Emma that looked back at me and then at David. "Neal blew a gasket and went off on Hook," Henry nodded along but Baelfire just glared at me with a bloody nose. "Do you want to explain, Neal?" David asked finally letting him go. "It doesn't matter anymore, what does is that this isn't over, Hook." "I wasn't expecting it to be."

I ripped myself away from Emma and went straight back to my ship in hopes to escape everyone's eyes on me. I knew what they were all thinking; _it was only a matter of time. There goes my perfect behavior record. _I thought to myself letting the wind hit my chest, I was expecting Emma to chastise Bae but somewhere in my heart I was expecting her to follow after me.

"Killian, stop storming off, will you?!" Emma roared, I paused and turned around and held out my hand in attempt to stop while she was ahead. "You really don't want to bicker with me right now, lass." "I don't care, I want to make sure if you're going to be okay." "Nothing that a little bit of rum and salt water can't fix," I sniped turning around to face her. For a split second, disappointment flickered across her eyes. I muttered a cuss word and ran a hand through my hair. "Can I help with your face? It is, after all, partly my fault why you're bleeding and bruised."

I looked up at her and nodded waving her forward. "If it hurts more, I'm kicking you off my ship." "Are you afraid of a little pain, Killian?" Emma teased as she walked passed me with a smirk on her face. "Well, you did get my god-like face ruined." "Who said it was godlike to begin with?" She smirked and walked passed me onto my ship. Something told me that I wasn't going to regret letting her on my ship.

"Ow, Ow, OW," I groaned as Emma dabbed at the rum soaked towel onto my bleeding lip. "Oh, stop whining, you sissy." Emma said dabbing it a little bit harder the next time. "Well, you have someone pour raw alcohol onto an open wound." "Isn't that what you did with me?" Emma handed me the rag and kept her eyes locked on mine.

Taking the rag from her hand, letting my fingers brush against hers ever so slightly, I took it from her. "Aye, then we'll call it even." She sighed and nodded taking the bottled rum, and putting it to her lips. I couldn't help but let my eyes wander the place where her necklace was. The small broken trinket piece that Bae had given to her years ago, and that made me jealous. "Why do you still wear that?" I said without even trying to filter my blunt remark.

Emma looked down and picked it up, and toyed with it between her fingers. "It's a reminder of the good memories I had with Neal." "You don't have anything that reminds you of our good memories." She gave a small smile. "That's because you haven't made a lot of good ones worth remembering," She teased, I couldn't help but grin at her because I knew I was one step closer. I grasped her hand, "we can make a lot more, if you'd like." I winked at her. "Killian-"she started, "Ah, here comes the bickering, it's my favorite part of the day."

She opened her mouth and then laughed. "What am I going to do with you?" She murmured, "Hopefully something that involves my bed or yours." "Where's that rag? Maybe I should just shove it in your mouth." I caught her hand with the rag and ripped it from her fingers. "I can think of something that can go in _your _mouth." I pulled her from the seat and pulled her onto the hardwood floor.

"We are so not doing this," Emma laughed as my lips nipped at her delicious neck. "Why not, There's no one here, and no one will be coming onto the ship anytime soon." I took another small nip, this time on her collar bone. I was hoping for a reaction, any reaction from her to show that she at least liked the bites. "I have to go back to Henry, and check on Neal, and talk to-"I took one small bite right under her ear and she stopped talking immediately.

I smirked and placed my lips to there again, where her body did react against mine. She gave a small purr of pleasure which caused me to let my hands roam. "Killian, we really shouldn't be doing this," Emma whispered but whimpered softly as my hand went up her shirt.

"If you want me to stop, just tell me." I hissed letting my body hover directly over hers. Her hair was laid out behind her like a halo and her eyes were hiding the pleasure I was managing to give to her. "You know," I whispered kissing her on her lip as my hand pinned her wrists down above her. "You're allowed to be loud to do anything on this ship. I won't judge you," I gave a sexy smirk at her.

Emma looked up at me and then in a quick second she pushed up on me where I was weakest. I sat up and backed up against the footboard of my bed. Emma straddled me with her legs cornering both legs. "This is an unusual position, Emma." I panted, feeling her breath on my neck as her hair cascaded around us making a veil. "Killian," she whispered with her hand on my chest, "can you wait a little longer for me?" she murmured against my lips which nearly drove me crazy.

As much as I wanted this, I knew that I had to be the good man I was and let her go. Nodding with uneven breaths, I let her sit up. She grabbed her coat but I grasped her arm gently with my hook and twisted her around. "Before you go," I kissed her hard on the mouth, (this usually worked a lot with women) it wasn't the usual hard kiss. It was hard at first then I let my lips soften against hers, feeling her kiss back was the cue to let my tongue glide across her lower lip and just the smallest bit into her mouth.

I felt Emma's breathing get unsteady and that's when I let her go. "Shall I see you tomorrow, love?" Emma stood up straight and nodded. "Uh, um, tomorrow sounds great." Emma turned on her heel and then went out. After I heard her step off the ship, I turned to my rum and took the biggest swig of my life. "I'm a bloody mess." I hissed.

That night I tossed and turned in my bed but every time I turned over, the cold, unaccompanied space where Emma should be was taunting me. Every time I closed my eyes, her face surfaced behind my lids. Her hypnotizing sea-like eyes staring into mine, her hair tossed around from a heated kiss, and her lips slightly upturned and pink from where my lips had been placed prior. Giving up the preposterous idea of sleeping, I dressed into some clothes I found on the floor and went out onto the ship. It was one beautiful snowy night while I paced back and forth.

The snow make small _tink-tink_ noises while it stuck onto the ship, I turned out to the water that was beginning to ice over but not for long until some waves began to break it up. Somehow the water seemed to calm my restless nerves. It made me think of times when Liam was still around and he and I would sit late at night with small glasses of rum in our hands and watched the open seas dance for us as we laughed at each other's petty jokes. It was times like these made my heart ache of homesickness, I missed my old life before the curse.

I missed the days of bachelorhood, going to woman after woman, not having a care in the world if I had to fight for someone's affections. It was a life where I lived off hatred and revenge; it was a life where I still wished that I had my brother, and a hand. Yet, I was still here being changed into a good man by Emma every day. Emma's benefited my life for the better; she's made me see the error of my ways even when no one else has seen it. "But yet, here I still stand, alone on my ship with no one to call my own." I said aloud into the anonymous winds that stuck snowflakes onto my face.

"Talking to yourself again, Killian?" I turned a full circle to see Emma standing on the base of my ship. She had her hands dug into her jacket with her jade eyes boring into mine. I raised an inquiring eyebrow at her, "Emma, what are you doing on my ship at such an intolerable hour?" I flashed an _irresistible_ smile to her and she grinned back. "I couldn't sleep, Henry may have his own room now, but it's lonelier now that Mary Margret and David moved out."

I tilted my head just the slightest and walked up to her. "Are you here just for a midnight chat or for so much more?" I could see the nervousness hiding behind Emma's eyes but she tried her best not to show it. "I might be here to ask you a favor," "Anything you ask," I murmured leaning in. _Don't push it, you twit. Do not push it or you'll be taking two steps back instead of forward. _"Will you sleep with me?" As soon as those words smoothly came out of her mouth I leaned back and gave a surprised look.

"Can you repeat that? I must have gotten too much sea water in my ears," Emma sighed and I could barely make out the blush that was rising on her face. "Will you sleep with me, fully clothed, in my bed with me?" She said looking more confidently at me. "Well, you don't need to beg me for it," I smirked at her. Emma grasped my hand and twined her fingers through mine as she led me to her apartment.

The apartment was warm yet drafty as I stripped down into a shirt and a pair of undergarments. Emma was wearing a pair of leggings and a long shirt that had _Pearl Jam_ written across it. She slid into her bed and tossed her hair behind her shoulders and opened the other side of the bed. Not taking a second thought, I slid into the warm sheets. I felt Emma place her head on my chest. I leaned into a more comfortable position and felt my eye lids getting heavy.

"Goodnight, Killian," Emma whispered while she found my hand and held onto it. "Goodnight, love," I whispered back and let my eyelids fall. For once in a very, _very_ long time; I slept a lot better than any other woman I've slept with before.

_I am so sorry that I've neglected to post the next chapter in this! I hope you guys can forgive me! What'd you guys think of the winter finale? I cried and squealed in excitement all at once! Please, tell me how the story is going! Feedback is SO important to me! Thank you! _


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